Cora's Return
by elegantCora
Summary: Cora's BACK! Dr. Whale aka Frankenstein has finally succeeded…or has he? Having given life to Regina's mother, Cora. All hell is about to break loose. Will Cora finally turn Snow's heart black as coal? Or will the Queen of Hearts once again fall from grace?
1. Chapter 1

Storybrooke, Maine: Cora's Return

Darkness had engulfed Cora. The Queen of Hearts, the Ruler of Wonderland had been vanquished by a mere child.

"NO!" Her mind screamed refusing to accept that, "I will not succumb!"

Despite her stubbornness, Cora's body would no longer obey her. The sacrificial curse remained tenacious on her heart.

"That's all right…Perhaps the curse will wear off with time."

Cora having doubts about this theory, the sound of footsteps causes her to be silent. Thinking it was Regina coming to see her again, these footfalls were unfamiliar. Regina having light graceful steps, these were heavy and awkward. Knowing only young Henry and herself were permitted into the family vault, the coffin lid opens.

"What a superb specimen."

She hears an unfamiliar male voice comment.

"Doctor, are you certain you want /this/ woman? Don't you know who this is?"

"I'm well aware, Igor. Nevertheless, Madam Mills heart is still inside her. If I can rid it of the curse, perhaps I can bring her back /without/ her becoming a monstrosity."

"But…Doctor…"

"ENOUGH!" He bellows, "I will speak of this no more!"

Leaning forward, he begins to examine her features.

"I /will/ prove my father wrong."

Cora's mind having shut off during the rest of the ordeal, the sound of thunder brings her remaining sense back. Hearing voices nearby, the feel of something beneath her lurches upward. As thunder rumbles again, the familiar whipping sound of lightning reverberates nearby. Cora unsure of what was going on, a light tingling sensation courses throughout her whole body. After a few seconds of this feeling, the mechanism she's laying on goes back down.

Dr. Frankenstein stepping up to the queen, takes out his stethoscope. Placing it over Cora's heart, there's a moment of absolute silence…

"Lub Dub…Lub Dub…"

Victors lips curling into a smile, he turns back to his henchman, Igor.

"She's alive…"

To be continued…


	2. Chapter 2: The Morning After

Chapter 2: The Morning After

"Lub Dub…Lub Dub…"

The sound of her own heart beating again is music to Cora's ears.

"How?" The question continuously repeated over and over again in her head.

Knowing bringing back the dead was one flaw magic could not do. The sound of those heavy, clumsy footsteps catches her attention.

"Good morning, Madam Mills."

Her other senses beginning to come back. The feel of something very cold presses against her skin.

"Your heart rate has increased dramatically." Leaning towards her he chortles, "I suppose this means you'll live."

Whale placing the stethoscope down, his eyes never waver from Cora's face.

"How about you try opening your eyes? It's quite lovely this morning."

A cheeky grin forming across the doctors lips, Cora's eyes flicker open. For a few moments everything was a blur. A bleary figure leaning over her, his voice comes out deep and guttural.

"Madam Mills?" Whale continues to repeat. Growing uneasy as her dark pupils stare unblinkingly at him.

"Madam…"

Cora's right hand then shoots up. Whale gasping out as her hand tightens around his neck, he attempts to pull away.

"Please…" He gasps.

Enjoying the feel of his neck joints popping in her grasp, she sends him flying backwards. Whale slamming into one of the giant generators, Cora lifts her weak body off the metal mechanism she had been laying on. Taking baby steps, she stumbles over towards a staircase.

"Doctor?!"

Igor having heard the commotion in the basement comes to a screeching halt. The doctor laying unconscious in a heap of rubble, Igor's eyes wander towards the table.

"She's gone…"

To be continued


	3. Chapter 3: Familiar Scars

Chapter 3: Familiar Scars

"You…" Cora gasped with her last dying breath. "You would've been enough…"

"Mother!"

Jolting upright, a sudden chill ran up the mayors spine. Feeling an unexplainable amount of dread pressing down on her chest; Regina drags her listless legs out of bed.

Starting the shower, hoping the warmth would settle her nerves; the phone beside her bed begins to ring.

"Damn it."

Grabbing her bathrobe, nearly stumbling over her own two feet; she snatches the phone.

"What?" She snaps, breathlessly.

"Is this Regina Mills?"

Not recognizing the man's voice, she's hesitant to respond.

"Whose asking?"

The man taken aback by the question replies slowly.

"Um, my names Nathan and I work at the cemetery."

Regina shaking her head, unsure whether she was growing annoyed by this man's stupidity or just his voice; she answers sarcastically.

"That's fascinating Nathan, I do hope in the future we can continue to have more…meaningful conversations."

Nathan letting out a light chuckle, Regina's silence immediately hushes him up. Clearing his throat, he stammers.

"Any…anyway, I was just informing you that the door to your vault seems to be unlocked. I wasn't sure if you knew about that?"

"Unlocked? She repeats softly.

"Yes ma'am, I don't have a key so I'm unable to lock it."

"All right, I'll be right down…"

Driving up to the empty cemetery, Regina's perplexed to see Nathan was nowhere to be seen. Putting her car in park, she slowly steps out. Giving the area a quick scan over, the mayor steps off the pavement; walking through the dewy grass.

Hearing a crow cawing nearby, the eeriness of the cemetery begins to unsettle Regina. Stepping up to her vault, nothing odd jumps out at her. Keeping one eye on the door as she digs through her purse; the mayor pulls out a single silver key. Inserting the key into the lock; an unexplainable surge of pain shoots up her arm.

"Ouch!" She cries out, more in anger than pain.

Grasping her wrist, Regina's eyes hover over her hand. Noticing a footprint in the mud, her eyes shoot back up to the vault. As if someone were on the other side of the door, the key pops out of the lock.

"Clink…Clink…" The key reverberates off the rock.

Remaining frozen in place, the vault door creaks open; as if beckoning for her to enter. Accustomed to strange occurrences, Regina fearlessly steps inside…

To be continued...


	4. Chapter 4: Safe Haven

Chapter 4: Safe Haven

{The Night before}

"Doctor?!" "Doctor can you hear me?!"

Dragging Whale's limp body out of the rumble, Igor gently places him on a rectangular table. Rushing over towards a small sink, located next to the vents; the henchman grabs a small plastic cup. Filling it with water, he rushes back over to Whale.

"Here, doctor."

Whale letting out a groan, places his hand behind his head.

"What happened?" His voice shaky, he slowly takes the cup.

"Well…" Igor swallows unsure how to respond, "She managed to escape."

The doctor still in a half dazed state, leaps off the table. Igor going to help him, Whale holds his hand up. Taking a step back, his eyes remain focused on the doctor. Whale limping towards the staircase, Igor sprints after him.

"Doctor?!" He shouts. "Doctor where are you going?!"

Taking his laboratory coat off, he mutters.

"I'm going out for a bit…"

Cora walked as fast as her listless legs would permit her to. Her vision still blotchy, the darkness was of no help. Her destination being Regina's vault, she found it incredibly hard to get there. Whale's home being a few blocks away from the cemetery, she began to quicken her pace. Waddling through the muddy grass, it takes all Cora's strength not to collapse from exhaustion. After 10 minutes of this treacherous expedition a cold, dizzy, shaking queen manages to find her way to the family vault. Cora's heart pounding out of her chest, her legs finally give out. Falling to her knees, she rests her head against the cold concrete wall; her breaths coming in short labored intervals.

"Get up, Cora!" Her mind screamed, "How dare you fall to your knees!"

Feeling as wretched as she looked, Cora was unable to get back to her feet. Her whole body becoming numb to the pain, hot tears begin to slide down her cheeks. Allowing herself this release of emotions, it wasn't a mere two minutes more did she regain her composure. Inhaling sharply, Cora forces herself to move. Taking baby steps to the vault door, it doesn't surprise her to find it locked. Lifting her right hand, a smile begins to form across her lips. Watching as that familiar purple glow appears around her hand, the vault door bursts open. Using the wall for support, Cora enters inside…

{That same morning}

Hiding out in a small room her daughter had fixed up for her, Cora couldn't get over how all her belongings were in there original spots. It was as if Regina wanted her back. A smile appearing on her face, wanting to believe that; Cora steps over towards a small closet. Placing a pair of black pants and a matching blouse on. She was already feeling like her old self.

"My old self…" She repeats aloud, placing a hand on her chest.

Her heart beating at a steady pace, the thought of ripping it out was all too tempting.

"Mother, why did you rip your heart out?"

She recollects her daughter asking, two days before her death.

Petting her daughters hair, she responds in a gentle voice.

"I did it to protect myself, to protect you…"

A light chuckle escaping her, Cora shakes the memory away. Regina having always been gullible, especially to her demands; she couldn't help, but wonder what her daughter's reaction would be to her return. Stepping over towards the door, the sound of footsteps reverberates above her. Watching as dust falls from the ceiling, Cora's heart begins to quicken. Thinking it was that doctor coming after her, the sound grows silent. Keeping her focus on the ceiling, the sound of heels clicking towards her; makes the queen jump out of her skin. Looking around for a quick hiding place, another idea comes to mind. Purple smoke surrounding her, Cora transforms into a spider. Crawling up the wall, her eyes lock on to the figures shadow.

Regina checking every room in her vault, decided to leave her mothers for last. Coming up to the door, the queens astounded to see it wide open. Dropping her purse, Regina grabs ahold of the door frame. Seeing a few of her mothers dresses scattered on the floor, her mind starts to race.

"She can't be alive…" She begins to whisper, "She just can't be…"


End file.
